Dozens of people at least died in explosions following a fire on Tuesday evening at an ammunition depot in Bujumbura, Burundi's economic capital, security sources told AFP on Wednesday, while authorities have not yet released any figures.

According to authorities, the fire, attributed to an "electrical accident", started in the arsenal of Camp Base, the army's main weapons and ammunition depot in Burundi, located in Musaga, a densely populated area in southern Bujumbura.

Burundi is the poorest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita, according to a 2023 World Bank ranking. It has been facing a deep economic crisis for years, marked in particular by a severe fuel shortage that has paralyzed it for three years.

Since Evariste Ndayishimiye, a military man, took the reins in June 2020, this former Belgian colony has oscillated between signs of openness from the regime, which remains under the control of powerful generals, and firm control of the government, marked by human rights abuses denounced by NGOs and the UN.

"It is impossible to establish a toll at the moment," but "there are a huge number of victims, dozens and dozens of people have been killed, there are hundreds or even thousands of injured," a senior army officer, contacted in Bujumbura, told AFP on condition of anonymity.

He indicated that he had toured several parts of the city and observed "a lot of material damage. Many houses were hit by shrapnel."

"There are dozens of dead, but the toll may be higher," a senior police officer who requested anonymity, who participated in the firefighting operations overnight, confirmed to AFP.

In a tweet, President Ndayishimiye simply expressed his "sympathy" to "all those who were victims of the fire".

Spageon Ngabo, director of the online platform Yaga Burundi, indicated that about ten deaths had been reported by citizens to his organization.

"We've reached about ten deaths, but we haven't finished counting yet," he said.

- Lost Children -

In addition to the arsenal, the affected base camp also houses numerous army logistics depots and is adjacent to the Higher Institute for Military Officers (ISCAM), where army officer candidates are trained and housed. It is near another military base, Camp Muha, and the Mpimba Central Prison.

It was built during the Belgian colonial period, at the time outside the city which later expanded.

According to the high-ranking military officer, hangars and barracks were still burning Wednesday morning. "The explosions have decreased, but we can still hear a few from time to time," he added.

According to the police officer, "the fire started in a part of the arsenal called 'the Shelter' where heavy weapons and their ammunition are stored, which is why we immediately heard loud explosions."

"Then the shrapnel set fire to the ammunition and small arms, a large stockpile of medicines, food and thousands of mattresses stored in Base Camp awaiting distribution to other camps," he explained.

"Camp Base was reduced to ashes; the firefighters were powerless because water couldn't extinguish the immense blaze we witnessed," he continued. "The human and material toll is very heavy, but difficult to assess at the moment because it happened during the night and in chaos."

According to the high-ranking officer, "the Shelter" consists of fortified underground facilities.

Several testimonies report projectiles triggered by the fire that landed in neighborhoods sometimes far from the camp.

"There were projectiles that were thrown very far, even into outlying areas, for example 10 km away" from the camp, Spageon Ngabo told AFP.

Burundian authorities have called on citizens to report unexploded ordnance by telephone and "not to touch".

Dozens of messages have been posted on social media bearing photos of children being sought by their parents who lost them in their flight, or found by residents seeking to locate their loved ones.